Your Guide to America's Horse Rescues May 15 2016 10 Comments

Have you ever felt the deep pangs of terror we all come across when we sell a horse? That feeling of doubt, despair, and helplessness in the uncertainty around whether they are truly going to a good home? It’s not that you didn’t do your research on the buyer and assess them as a certainly worthy individual; it’s just that you don’t know what will happen after them, or the owner after that if it comes down to it. Horses are a massive financial undertaking and you never know what circumstance could arise that might displace your beloved equine friend out of their worthy new owner’s hands, into the ownership of someone that wants to “turn them over for a quick buck.” Especially considering some circumstance has pushed them out of your very hands! 

The great news is, there is a vast network of rescuers are constantly working to rescue, rehabilitate, and repurpose horses that find themselves in the worst case scenario. As a horse person, it is a far better outcome to have your horse with you till their dying days, which will of course be when your horse is like 67 because they live forever and ever and ever! But for the times when circumstance takes over, surrendering your horse to, or working with a rescue—many of which insist on giving the horse back to them if, for some reason you are no longer able to give that horse a home—to rehome them is often the best option out there.

On the flip side of that coin, much like adopting a dog, rescuing a horse can be a vastly rewarding, unending source of joy as a horse owner. You can find the best horse you could’ve ever dreamed, discarded and broken from buggy life, or a family pet who’s owner’s health forced them to send their beloved equine friend to be rehomed. Whatever the back story, there is a rescue out there to suit your needs!

For that reason, here at TJC we decided to put together a (somewhat) comprehensive list of horse rescues in the USA. This is a constantly changing, interactive map that we are able to add to so if you know of a rescue we missed, please reach out! Be sure to also share. In doing so you may inadvertently inspire someone to find a repurposed horse for their program, or someone to work with a rescue to rehome a horse they are no longer able to give the time they need to it.

If you're having trouble viewing the interactive, click here to view the fullscreen version.

Have you ever adopted a rescue horse or had to work with a rescue to rehome one? If so please share in the comments down below!